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HomeMy WebLinkAbout Dept Report 05-07-13E Carmel Plan Commission SPECIAL STUDIES COMMITTEE May 7, 2013 Department Report It 1. Docket No. 13020018 DP: Highpointe on Meridian Development Plan. 2. Docket No.13020019 ADLS: Highpointe on Meridian Apartments. 3. Docket No. 13020020 ADLS: Spectrum Retirement Community. The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a multi -family apartment development and for a senior living community. (The office building is not part of this.) The plat will be 3 lots/ blocks on 26.4 acres. The site is located at the southwest corner of 136th St. & Illinois St. and is zoned PUD/Planned Unit Development. Filed by Paul Reis of Krieg DeVault, LLP. Highpointe on Meridian: The Highpointe on Meridian project consists of 26.4 acres overall, and is located on the north side of Illinois Street and to the south and west of the roundabout at Oak Ridge Road and 13e Street. Three projects will happen within this development: an apartment community by JC Hart, a senior living community by Spectrum Retirement Community, and an office building to be developed at a later date. The building pad of the future office building is shown in the development plan portion of the submittal only to show the area where it can be built on the site. This is based on restrictions including setback lines and a tree preservation area. Other restrictions for the rest of the site include an underground gas pipeline along Illinois Street, a relocated regulated legal drain, many mature trees, and a wetland area. During the rezone process for this PUD, the idea of a traffic study was discussed. However, it was concluded that a traffic study is not required, based on Illinois Street being designed to handle the amount of traffic generated from the site. JC Hart Apartment Community: The JC Hart Apartment Community will be comprised of 12.8 acres in the center of the Highpointe on Meridian development. It will have 235 multi -family units that vary in size, shape, number of floors, building materials and colors, etc. It is designed in conformance with the PUD standards. The development will be 61.62% impervious surfaces and 38.38% pervious surfaces. Overall, the apartments are oriented towards Illinois Street, and are pulled as far away as possible from the single family residential neighborhoods to the north. A tree buffer will be preserved along the edge of the subdivision and the apartment community. Trash pick- up will be according to the PUD (8-5 M-F and 10-3 on Saturday) and is located at the southeastern most portion of the apartment site. Parking will be accommodated by both surface parking and garage parking within the buildings. Spectrum Retirement Facility: The Spectrum Retirement Facility will be located on 8.2 acres of land at the east end of the Highpointe on Meridian development, located south and west of the roundabout at Oak Ridge Road and 136'" Street. It is a retirement community, not a nursing home. It will focus on socialization and the physical activity of its residents, as well as care for those who need memory assistance. The building will be three stories high and will not exceed 38', which is less than the 45' allowed by the PUD language. The southeast portion of the site is an existing wetland area and will be preserved. Native prairie grasses, shrubs and trees will be planted around the new detention area to the east of the building. Access to the site will be off of Illinois street. Two six car garages are provided, as well as uncovered parking spaces. Perimeter landscaping will be planted to provide a buffer to nearby residents and traffic along 13e St. Building foundation landscaping will be provided to beautify the site and make it enjoyable for residents as well as passersby. The Spectrum site will have 49.7% impervious surfaces and 50.3% pervious surfaces. Audi 16'" PC meetine recap: The Petitioner presented the project, and a few neighbors spoke in opposition showing potential issues with the proposal. The main issues were the following: 1. Landscape screening from headlights and providing a full, thick buffer of landscaping between the neighbors and this project. Will the gaps of the perimeter be filled in with evergreens? Please identify what species of tree is there now. 2. Drainage — currently the site has standing water after heavy rains. The concern is that drainage will be ok now with the office building not there, but when the office building goes in, the additional pavement will create the drainage problem. The Plan Commission would like to see the amount of pavement mitigated. 3. Safety of the proposed Spectrum entrance. It is bad location, on a hill and a curve. The change of grade causes further obstruction of view. The Dept. asks the Petitioner to please review this location. 4. Location of the westemmost cut/drive in the office block. Even though this entrance is not under review right now, it was brought up as a concern of the neighbors and the Engineer Dept. as part of the overall development plan. Please look into providing a sight line and auxiliary lanes analysis. 5. Architecture — The design of the apartments has changed from original proposal to now. Plan Commission is concerned about what is shown in concept, turns into something else when it comes through for approval. The project design does not appear to meet the Contemporary or Neo-Italianate style specified in the PUD. Some details include: window boxes, brackets under eaves, low sloping roof lines, and long windows. Please see photos below for Italianate style. A. After further evaluating the architecture, there are some definite discrepancies: 1. The roof lines are very high, not low sloping as Italianate would suggest 2. Roof overhangs are not very pronounced 3. There are very few rounded elements, or elongated windows 4. Windows that are there have little to no decorative details such as brackets, or ornate brick trim Patterns 5. No specific tower elements or cupolas 6. No horizontal banding details, mostly vertically oriented 7. Not a lot of dimensionality along the facades B. Does meet the Italianate architecture style through the following elements: 1. Symmetrical bays and/or windows 2. Projecting porches and window bays 3. Some brackets for under roof details are provided 4. Does have a lot of brick for most buildings, at least the facades that face the streets. 6. Bicycle racks and paths —The Plan Commission would like to see bike rack locations where they will be used, which is near the front doors and at ground level. An internal bike path through the site would also be nice, possibly changing a sidewalk on one side to become a path. Please also provide a direct path connection from Illinois St. to Spectrum's front door. Petitioner needs to provide to the committee: 1. A streetscape view/ perspective rendering with trees, buildings, etc. to show the buffer and general view of the steetscape as one drives along Illinois Street. 2. Photo examples of Neo-Italianate and Contemporary Italianate architecture, and show that the proposed buildings' design meets this style of architecture. 3. Provide information on the safety of having the gas pipeline 5-ft deep in the ground and sited that close to the residential units on the Spectrum site plan. 4. Provide details on the Spectrum sign panel. JC Hart Apartment analysis: Site Plan: l . Please provide the Locations of the gas and water meters, and also show how they will be screened from view or camouflaged. DOGS is under the impression from Duke Energy that screening is acceptable, it just may not be within 10' of the unit. 2. Please label all the different types of parking spaces' dimensions in the different types of parking areas. The number of parking spaces was provided, however, the sizes of the spaces are not provided. Will make sure they provide us this additional info. Pedestrian & Bike Connectivity: 2 r 3. Provide pedestrian access to/from the multi -use path along Illinois St. on both sides of all of the entrance drives. This was not provided for the west side of the main entrance to the apartment building because that portion will be installed when that last site is developed. 4. There are still some locations between 16 & 15, 15 & 14, 14 & 13, and 13 & 12 that do not appear to have ADA accessible ramps as the sidewalk terminates at the parking area. Signage: 5. Is it possible to have the sign recessed more into the surround so the face of the cabinet does not stick out past the edge of the sign? The Petitioner is considering this request. 6. The Highpointe on Meridian Apartments sign — is it possible to make the "Apartments" portion larger? It seems very small and unreadable to those passing by. The Petitioner is considering this request. Elevations: 7. Please show/ label the downspout locations. The Petitioner stated these will be shown as the design process proceeds. Architecture: 8. Building 1: The Department made recommendations on color, adding windows or faux brick windows, continuing the brick all the way around the building, and asked about details above the garages. The Petitioner considered these requests, but said final color selections will be made at a later date and overall, they are satisfied with the proposed design. 9. BuildingIA -Rear elevation: a. Is it possible to carry the brick and vertical cement fiber board around the back side of the building? The Dept. would like to see the vast amount of horizontal siding minimized if possible. The Petitioner stated the design team does not want to call attention to this area. b. Also, the top right window on the rear elevation, it looks as though the siding is missing on the edge. The Petitioner stated this is a larger corer board trim element, because there is not enough room to locate siding in this area. The Dept. is concerned how this window is different than the two windows below it. Please elaborate on how these windows will be trimmed out. 10. Building Type 3 - Rear elevation: Is it possible to have the vertical cement fiber boards placed in the areas that do not have the pitched roof? This would allow the look of the horizontal siding to continue around from the sides of the building, and then be relieved by the vertical siding to match the other sides of the building. This would help break up the monotony of vertical siding on the rear of the building. Thank you for accommodating this suggestion. 11. Building Type 4: The Department made recommendations on color, adding windows or faux brick windows, adding a brick soldier course around the building, and asked about details above the garages. The Petitioner considered these requests, but said final color selections will be made at a later date and overall, they are satisfied with the proposed design. 12. Building Type 5: The Department made recommendations on color, adding windows or faux brick windows, adding more brick to the building, and asked about details above the garages. The Petitioner considered these requests, but said final color selections will be made at a later date and overall, they are satisfied with the proposed design. 13. Building Type 6: The Department made recommendations on color, adding windows or faux brick windows, adding more brick to the building, and asked about details above the garages. The Petitioner considered these requests, but said final color selections will be made at a later date and overall, they are satisfied with the proposed design. 14. Duplex building - Right and left side elevations: Could the vertical (rectangular shaped) cement fiber board siding be continued to the right of the windows under the porch for contrast from the horizontal siding? Thank you for accommodating this suggestion. 15. Coach building: The Dept. is OK with the changes made. 16. Clubhouse building: The Department made recommendations to enhance the building and to avoid having such a large portion of the building with fiber cement siding. As the main clubhouse and having the left side adjacent to a future office building, the Dept. feels more masonry materials should be utilized. The Petitioner stated they are satisfied with the proposed design. Spectrum Analysis: 1. Please provide design details and panel details for the ground sign (Sheet A6) Thank you for providing the structure details of the sign. The Dept. is also interested in exactly what the face of the sign will look like. Do not know what the face looks like, or if they can even place the sign there. Will have to continue working through the location study. Petitioner said they will try to provide the sign design for the committee meeting. 2. Please confirm/explain that the facades have offsets every 100' on the west wing of the building. It is hard to tell from the site plan, but the elevations appear to have some offsets. More details would be appreciated. 3. A Plan Commission member feels that the entrance drivelwidth into Spectrum has a tight radius and seems like a dangerous entrance. Please view the Petitioner's information packet for more details. Department Recommendation: The Dept. of Community Services (DOCS) recommends the Plan Commission discusses this item and then it to the June 4 Special Studies Committee meeting, for further review and discussion. Neo-Italianate Examples: Modern Italianate Example: -111914��Fit: -• 7 p �l'